The Scouring of Bree
by Maggie Moore
Summary: Bree's story in The Lord of the Rings, seen through the eyes of Nob, Bob, and Barliman Butterbur of the Prancing Pony Inn.


A/N: This was my first attempt at a serious LotR fic. I've left it for awhile and am now ready to come to it to polish its edges, reintroduce it, and finish the story I began. This is the story of Bree and The Prancing Pony in the Lord of the Rings. It is in the hobbit-servant, bartender, and other characters, Nob, Mr. Butterbur, and company's, point of view. I shall try to be as original as I can, but the story itself sticks to the book. All I do is give you my opinion of what the viewpoints of the events in the story were to the local inhabitants and somewhat overlooked characters of Bree. NOTE: This story was once titled "They Came From Mordor", but I felt it needed the change due a change of where I planned for it to go.  
  
Dedication: I have to give a BIG thank you to RachelStonebreaker for her wonderful advice, and to all of the wonderful people that reviewed my story when it first came out. Thank you!  
  
Disclaimer for the story: I do not own the LotR characters or stories, I just like to write about them for others' and mine own entertainment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------  
  
The Scouring of Bree  
  
Chapter One: A Hectic Evening  
  
Nob ran out of the kitchen, searching frantically for his Master. He ran into the common room and jumped up on a chair to see over the many tall heads in the room. Spotting the Bartender, he quickly jumped down from his perch and ran over to him in a huff. He dodged the many legs and sometimes canes of the Big People, dwarves, and Rangers surrounding him and crowding the smoke-filled room.  
  
"Master Butterbur! Mr. Butterbur, sir, I'm afraid we have a problem!" Nob exclaimed when he finally reached the jolly-faced innkeeper, trying his best to be heard over the voices of the talkative souls that filled the noisy room.  
  
Barliman Butterbur bent down to look at his hobbit friend with a smile, even though his small helper wore a frown. "Problem, Nob?" He asked with his usually jolly attitude, his eyes gleaming and rosy cheeks emphasizing his smile. "What sort of trouble could you have gotten yourself into this time? I'll bet Bob had something to do with it no doubt, whatever it may be."  
  
The hobbit had finally caught his breath and was beginning to respond to his boss when a large explosion, followed by several yelps and sounds of various items crashing onto the floor could be heard coming from the kitchen. Mr. Butterbur stood up to full height as he looked toward the kitchen, seeing a thicker smoke than that of cigarettes fill the air around them.  
  
Nob winced at the commotion and watched as his superior's face turned to a sudden frown and his brow crease in a half-surprised, half-frustrated expression. "Yes sir, I believe Bob did have something to do with it, sir." Nob said weakly as his master continued to stare ahead of him.  
  
The two pushed their way through the crowd of people, some of whom were still staring in curiosity and confusion in the direction of the small, smoky kitchen, while others quickly dismissed the incident and carried on normally in their conversations.  
  
When Mr. Butterbur reached the kitchen, he pushed the swinging doors open and stepped inside, closely followed by Nob. Mr. Butterbur stood still and silent for a moment, looking around the chaotic kitchen with wide eyes. Broken plates and pots, along with many other items, littered the floor, many of the appliances seemed to be broken, and the kitchen was filled with a thick smoke, causing him to cough heavily. His glance soon found its way to Bob, who was sitting on the floor, covered from head to toe with some kind of soot or ash, and was trying frantically to clean up the small area surrounding him without much luck. Mr. Butterbur dropped his head to his chest while shaking it slightly and messaging his temples with one of his large hands, trying to keep himself from exploding at the clumsy hobbit. When he had finally gotten over his initial anger and shock, he lifted his head to see Bob now standing up straight and tall and looking at his boss with a rather petrified expression across his dirtied face. He could also see Nob out of the corner of his eye, and the hobbit seemed to be showing the same distraught reaction that he was feeling.  
  
Mr. Butterbur gave out a long sigh and wondered how such a small being could make such a large mess. "Bob," he began, trying to control the volume of his voice, "What happened here?"  
  
Bob then exploded and began giving Butterbur long explanations and retaliations of the events that built up to the destruction of his kitchen. He first included a pot on the stove that became overheated, causing the contents to explode. He also talked of an oven that nearly burst into flames because he had accidentally forgotten to put it out after making the dwarfs' pies, and himself trying to carry too many trays out of the kitchen at the same time, resulting in the loud crashes they had heard earlier.  
  
Mr. Butterbur and Nob stood listening, in even more shock than before, to Bob's long, endless story. 'And I thought Master Butterbur talked a lot.' Nob thought after listening to his fellow hobbit ramble on and on for what felt like an hour.  
  
Bob was interrupted by several loud knocks on the pub's doors that echoed eerily through the room and kitchen, causing the guests to become instantly silenced. The entire inn seemed turn to face the door, and the walls creaked with a strange anxiety. In the silence, they could hear howls from the dogs outside, the screams of chickens, and chilling sounds coming from all different sorts of creatures, which blended and climaxed into a high- pitched, hair-raising tone that lasted for several seconds before dying out in unison. Nob felt himself shudder violently as a chill went down his spine in response to the animal's call.  
  
Mr. Butterbur looked towards the door and gave an exasperated sigh. "I don't have time to deal with any more customers right now, I'm a busy man! I've got enough customers all ready, and I don't much like the sound of whoever is behind that door just by the sound of their knock. I haven't the time or patience to deal with this now! I'm a busy man, mind you!" Mr. Butterbur then remembered the inactive hobbit at his side, and bent down slightly to address his shivering employee.  
  
"Hey Nob," He began, "I'm going to have to stay in here and get this mess straightened out, so could you go get that for me? I would myself, but I'm too busy at the moment, if you catch my drift." He motioned with his arm to indicate the destroyed kitchen behind him. "So you just run along and see who's at the door, and if they be ugly to you, you just tell them the inn is booked for the night and turn them away." He noticed the resistance in the hobbit's face and added, "Why don't you go out the back way, so you can have a look at them before they have a look at you? If you really feel like this is too big for a hobbit to handle, come and get me and I'll be right out." He gave the little hobbit a squeeze on the shoulder and an encouraging smile, hoping the little guy would be willing to take on the task.  
  
TBC 


End file.
